Excavation machines such as hydraulic excavators, backhoes, front shovels, draglines, and other types of heavy equipment use a work tool (e.g., a bucket) to move earthen material. The work tool is connected to a body of the machine by way of linkage, and moved about via one or more hydraulic actuators attached to different segments of the linkage. In order to be profitable, an operator must move as much material with the work tool as possible within a given period of time. And in order to move as much material as possible, the operator must correctly fill the work tool during each excavation pass of the machine. This can be difficult to do, especially if the operator is unskilled, inexperienced, or blocked from properly viewing the linkage and work tool.
One attempt to improve machine operation is disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication Application No. 2012/0263566 of Taylor et al. that published on Oct. 18, 2012 (“the '566 publication”). Specifically, the '566 publication discloses a rope shovel with an automated swing-to-hopper control system. The control system includes a controller that tracks a hoist (up/down) movement, a crowd (in/out) movement, and a swing (left/right) movement of the rope shovel. The controller then causes green LEDs to illuminate when the rope shovel is at a desired position over the hopper. When an operator of the rope shovel sees the LEDs, the operator causes the rope shovel to stop moving and dump its contents.
Although the system of the '566 publication may improve machine operation by helping the operator to properly position the rope shovel over the hopper for dumping, the system may be less than optimal. In particular, loading of the rope shovel may have a greater effect on productive material movement than positioning of the shovel during dumping. For example, transferring a greater amount of force from the shovel into the material, and subsequently loading the shove with a corresponding greater amount of material may result in greater efficiency and productivity of the rope shovel. And the automated swing-to-hopper system of the '566 publication may not affect loading of the shovel. In addition, the automated swing-to-hopper system may lack applicability to machines other than rope shovels.
The disclosed excavation system is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above and/or other problems of the prior art.